Best Wines For Sharing a Sunset

As you taste wines you will discover wines that are great for “sharing a sunset” (the moment) and others that are “great with dinner” (pairing to food). It is the rare wine that can do well for both!

The colors in the sky, the sun move behind the horizon, & the calmness in the air makes for the perfect setting for drinking wine. Enjoying a glass of wine (or two) at sunset is the perfect way to relax after a stressful day, especially if it in good company. Time seems to slow down during this time of the day. Make this time even better by spending it with loved ones and putting the phones down for a while and disconnecting from the stresses of life.

What Are Wines That Are Great For Sharing A Sunset?

Maybe one of your most favorite wines that you might have a case of in storage. You bring a bottle or two with you on vacation and watch the sunset in Maui or somewhere else that is special to you. Next time you drink that particular wine it will bring all your senses back to that particular special sunset, event, location, etc. It’s a great reminder of the past and how you felt during that moment or event.

It’s a fun journey finding the food wines versus the sunset wines. It’s great having specific wines for certain moments. And once you start collecting wines, you will start to mentally think about when you want to drink specific bottles of each wine you are storing (especially the special bottles).

Are Some Wines Better Than Others For Sunsets?

Some wines, especially lighter reds, do well on their own and are great to bring with you to drink by themselves. They don’t need anything to bring out their full tastes and experience. Many pinot noirs, burgundies, beaujolais, and lambruscos might fall in this category.

In particular, fuller bodied tannic reds are made better by other foods, cheeses, steaks, etc. where the fatty nature of the food binds with the tannins to make them both more flavorful. Some call sunset wines “cocktail wines”.

The important thing to remember is that there isn’t a perfect answer to this question. Some people may enjoy a light wine at sunset, some may enjoy a more complex wine. Others prefer light and crisp white wines at sunset outdoors versus heavy red wines (especially during hot days).

Best Wines For Sunsets

If you are looking for some guidance on the best wines to enjoy for a sunset, and you don’t have a specific bottle in mind or a strong preference, here are some types of wines we recommend for late evenings watching the sun go down.